Pray for Discernment
While reading Luke 10, I gained a new perspective on the chapter after reading it through.
Discernment was the word that stood out to me.
1 “Rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20
Immediate results are often like the bright shiny object that can distract us from the truly glorious things. I am thankful that Jesus has given us authority over evil realities and as a result have access to living in peace no matter the spiritual opposition. Absolutely. However, what we must never lose sight of is the glorious hope of salvation in the present and the future because of the covenant God has made with us individually.
I do think we should keep in our mind something Jesus said to every believer that the Apostle John records.
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Revelation 3:5
When we have Jesus, we have the authority and opportunity to overcome every challenge, whether it is evil spiritual realities or the everyday difficulties we might face.
2 “Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?” Luke 10:36
Jesus confronted the thinking of those who consider themselves devout followers of God. The starting point of the discussion is about absolute devotion of love and commitment to God. To Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. AND to love your neighbor as yourself.
This led up to the discussion of the Good Samaritan.
“Who is my Neighbor?”
If you read and consider the three characters are a study in discernment.
Remember this parable is in response to the greatest commandments. This story is not in isolation. The answer is in response to the double devotional responsiblity of a follower of Jehovah.
Love God. Check.
Love your neighbor like you love yourself. Wait a minute, Who is my neighbor?
The first two characters are “profess” ionals.
The Levite is of the preistly class.
The Priest is the chief of the preistly class.
In modern parlanance, a pastor and a faithful Christian.
Both of these avoided any contact with this wounded man in the ditch.
The Samaritan, this man would have not been given any credit for a relationship with God to the audience of Jesus. In fact if you review Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan Woman, Jesus was not putting this man in a class of correct and proper relationship with God.
Jesus is essentially saying, This man who you give no credit for knowing what is right, did what was right, while the professing Christian and the Responsible Pastor passed him by.
The Samaritan had discernment, compassion and demonstrated a true love for this man in the ditch.
Jesus was purposely provoking these professing devout followers of Jehovah.
Jesus challenge to those that day and me and you today, “You can do better.”
All of us when we read this story find ourselves provoked and have a little guilt, because we are often in a hurry with a lot to do. However, we need to have compassion. More compassion.
Notice how Jesus in this chapter, the next story is a contrast. Jesus is tired, no doubt hungry and Martha is doing what would seem to be the right and hospitalable thing to do.
But Mary is not doing those things, but sitting at the feet of Jesus.
It’s almost contradictory.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
Do you see this? Martha is being “neighborly” and treating Jesus like she would want to be treated if she was tired and hungry.
3 “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41 & 42
Here is my conclusion after meditating on this chapter.
We need discernment.
Don’t Miss the Big Picture in the Midst of the Shiny Objects and Exciting Moments. Many will have a profession of Jesus as Lord Lord, but they neglected their names being written in the Lambs book of life. They failed to maintain their relationship with the Lord, while serving everyone else. We must not lose sight of the exciting and neglect what is the very most important thing.
Our Love for God in fervency is demonstrated in reality to how we treat those who are less fortunate. We can learn lessons from those who do not even have a covenant with God.
It’s important to be aware of what we need to be doing at the moment. There is a time for everything, but you can’t do everything at one time. What is the priority right now?
Lord, grant to me the wisdom and discernement to be rejoicing about the right things. Help me to be available and willing to stop what I am doing to help someone in need. However, when there is so much that needs to be done, I must not neglect the most important thing. Spending Time with Jesus.
There is complexity in the scripture and often when we read the text, and we look at it as a whole, it can cause us to scratch our heads and say, “Wow, God help me.”
That is not a flaw, but a feature of walking with God. We need his help to know what we need to do in this very moment.
Selah,
In Him, By Him, Through Him,
Scott Phillips